It seems people are either extremely positive or negative about Valentine’s Day. And I can see all the sides. Yes, it can be wonderful when you have that boy/girlfriend or spouse or child. Yes, it can be celebrated absolutely sincerely. And alternately, yes, it can be extremely “commercialistic”. Yes, it can be horrible if you’re single.

It is a truth that things are what you make them to be. Ultimately, you get to decide how you will view and celebrate Valentine’s Day. The choice is up to you.

But if you know me, I love to take things deeper. You know, provoke the issue a little further and see if something else can’t be brought out of it.

Do everything with so much love in your heart that you would never want to do it any other way. ~Amrit Desai

In living a life with no regrets, I propose something to you that I ultimately do myself. Make EVERYDAY Valentine’s Day.

It is puzzling to me why the mainstream thing to do is only tell people how you really feel about them on special occasions. And often, I find even that doesn’t end up happening. When was the last time it was someone’s birthday that you really cared about, and you took some time to sit them down and tell them, in a non-generic way, what they really meant to you, how they impact, affect, and change your life, and told them your heart for them? Seriously? When?

This is not meant to be a guilt trip, just sincerely asking. I see many people live with regret when their loved ones die. They say, well, we never got to have such and such conversation, I wished I had told them this, I wish they knew how I felt about them, etc. Too often we discuss and verbalize about someone’s impact on us and our heart towards them at funeral gatherings.

Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning. ~Unknown

It’s sad. They are worth more than that. And you are worth more than that. The price of regret is costly and a heavy burden to bear. Regret is something I wish for no one to have.

I live my life with intention. To me, I believe that every day is special. Every day, I want to live with purpose and decided intent. Every day, I want to sow into the people that I love and care about and tell them my heart for them. They are worth that. I am worth that.

So here is another official tip to living your life without regret: Make every day Valentine’s Day. Tell everyone, as often as you can, throughout the normal everyday, how you feel about them. Get creative about it. Make it NORMAL. Make it a habit. Decide right now that every day is a holiday to tell people your heart for them. It will take some practice and effort, but it will get easier. It eventually will become automatic. Sow those seeds and see, not only what they reap from it, but what YOU reap from it too. I can assure you, that you won’t regret that. ❤

A bell is no bell ’til you ring it,
A song is no song ’til you sing it,
And love in your heart
Wasn’t put there to stay –
Love isn’t love
‘Til you give it away.
~Oscar Hammerstein, Sound of Music, “You Are Sixteen (Reprise)”